Grain separator



Nov. 28, 1939. c. c INGRAHAM GRAIN SEPARATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1936 Nov. 28, 1939. INGRAHAM 2,181,431

GRAIN 'SEPARATOR Filed June 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. C. INGRAHAM Nov. 28, 1939.

GRAIN SEPARATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1936 war/Ar (3/? 5 Sheets-Shet 4 c. c. INGRAHAM GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed June 29, 1936 Nov. 28, 1939.

Patented Nov. 28 1939 I 'urrso STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

Charles C. Ingrahani, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Hart-Garter Company, Peoria, 111., acorporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1986, Serial No. 87,921 3 Claims. (01.209-96) My present invention provides an improved very clean separation of cats, barley and small machine or apparatus for the separation of difseeds from the wheat, does not require a separaferent kinds of grain and for the separation 'tion of the barley from the oats. therefrom of small seeds; and, generally stated, My present invention provides a machine that 5 the invention consists of. the novel devices, comis especially adapted .for fiour mill separation.- binations of devices and arrangement of parts In this machine the commingled stock, consisting hereinafter described and defined in the claims. chiefly of wheat but commingled with oats, bar- More specifically stated, the invention involves lay and small seeds, is first delivered to the ina novel co-operative relation of pocketed sep- .terna-lly pocketed or indented drum. 1'. have arating drums and pocketed separating discs. ioundthat the indented drum with proper sized As illustrative of the type of separating disc indents or pockets will make an excellent rough herein referred to, attention is called to the Caror primary separation of the larger grains or kerter Patent No. 1,364,247 of January 4, 1921; and nels of the commingled mass from the smaller as illustrative of the general type of separating ones; for example, lifting out the small seeds and drum herein referred to or What may be emsmall wheat in one stream and tailing oh. the

.ployed, attention is called to the Ingraham Patlarge wheat, oats and barleyin another.

ent No. 2,015,400 of September 24, 1935. These streams are then directed to compart- Both the pocketed drum and pocketed disc ments where they are, given accurate disc separatypes make what is known as a length separations. The stream containing the small wheat =10 tion. Howevenin the case of the indented or and seeds goes to one set of discs Where the small pocketed drum, centrifugal force plays a greater seeds are separated from the small wheat, and

part in making the separation than it does in the stream containing the large wheat, oats and the case of the pocketed discs. Because of this barley goes to another compartment where the fact, there are certain separations which can be discs accurately p at e W eat from the made more effectively by one or the other ofoats and barley,

the two types. For example, it is well known This novel arrangement makes a more accuthat the pocketed drum makes a better separarate separation of the wheat from oats, barley tion of barley from oats than does the disc type and small seeds than does the arrangement of separator. This is true because the barley, being my above referred to co-pending application, and

0 heavier than oats, will, under the action of cenalso has high capac y. Therefore, it is obvious trifugal force, stay in the pockets of the drum that this novel arrangement meets the long-felt until it has reached a much greater height than r quir ments of the flour mill.

.has the oats. On the other hand, it has been A commercial form of the improved machine found that the pocketed discs are superior to is illustrated in the accompanying drawings 5 the pocketed drum for separating wheat from wherein like characters indicate like parts barley and cats or separating small wheat from throughout the several views. small seeds and the like. This is true because Referring to the drawings: it is generally. recognized that the indented disc Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved mais very much more accurate in making separachine, some parts being broken away; Y

40 tions as to length, l Fig. 2is an end elevation of the machine look- 40 Because of the above characteristics in the two ing from right toward the l fti respect to Fig different systems, each system has advantages over the O Fig 3 is an end elevation of themachine look- In my Patent No. 2,047,508, issued July 14, in H th 1 f 5 1936, I have disclosed and claimed a machine in g m e e t toward the fight m respgct to which material was first passed to pocketed discs and subsequently to an internally pocketed drum or drums. This prior arrangement was, and is,

especially adapted for use in grain elevators p where it is important that barley be separated 1s a partly m slde elevatmn and 50 from oats as well as from wheat. Moreover, the partly m diagram in which the machine is Someelevator separation does not require as complete a distorted so as to bring i V i alignf and accurate cleaning of the wheat as is required ment certain parts Which, i the machine. a e for mill separation. v v laterally offset, as .shown in Figs. 1 and 4;

5 Wheat flour millseparation, while requiring a I Fig. dis a vertical longitudinal section, some Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the somewhat reduced scale taken on the line 4 4 of Figs. 1

parts being broken away, taken on the line 3-6 of Fig. 7;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7-?! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3-3 of Figs. 5 and 6; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig, 10 is a diag'rammatical view showing the 10 flow of commingled stock to and through the drum and disc separating elements of this compact machine.

The various parts of the machine illustrated are mounted within a casing shown as made up of a sheet metal body ID and end plates H. In this improved machine the internally pocketed or indented drum or cylinder is mounted in the upper portion of the casing, and the discs are mounted in the lower portion of said casing. The

drum structure and associated parts may vary in their construction and details of arrangement, may be and advisably are of the construction and arrangement illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,015,400 of September 24, 1935. The separating discs, as before stated, are of the type disclosed and broadly claimed in the Carter patents identified. One of the head plates II, as shown in the left hand plate, is formed or provided with a large elbow-like pocket l3 and affords an intake passage for the material to be delivered to the machine.

The other head plate H, to wit: as shown, the right hand member, is formed with an inverted pocket-like portion l4 that afiords a discharge passage. Extended through the casing and the pockets l3 and I 4 and journaled in suitable hearings on the walls thereof is a long shaft l5 provided with a spiral blade it. A bearing sleeve I1 is extended through the outer wall of the pocket It and the right hand end of shaft l5 is journaled in and extended through this sleeve. Sleeve H, by radial web, carries a large collar I8 on which is journaled an annular gear I9. Collar I8 is relatively non-rotary, but preferably capable of oscillatory adjustments for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The internally indented drum or cylinder 20, at its receiving end, is provided with and fixed to a spider-like head 2| that is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft l5 so that said drum will be rotated with said shaft. At its other end, the drum 2B is rigidly secured to the rotary annular gear [9, and inward of said gear, said drum is provided with large circumferentially spaced discharge passages 22.

The conveyor, made up of the shaft l5 and its spiral blades l6, works in a long catch trough 23, which, at its right hand end, has a discharge neck projected into and rigidly secured to the collar to l8 so that said trough can be given oscillatory adjustments by movements of said collar. At its left hand end, trough 23 is provided with a suitable bearing 24 journaled on, but not rotated with, shaft 55.

65 Further describing the structure illustrated in my said prior Patent No. 2,015,400, the numeral 25 indicates a feed-screw that works near the bottom of the drum 20 and is journaled in bearings 26 secured to and depending from the trough 70 23. At its right hand end, as shown in Fig. 5,

the shaft of feed-screw 25 is provided with a pinion 27 that meshes with and is driven from the annular gear 9 9. As a means for imparting oscillatory adjustments to the collar l8, and hence 75 to the feed trough 23, a worm gear 28 is attached to said sleeve I! for adjustments therewith, and this worm gear 28 is engaged by the manually operated worm 29 mounted on the outer wall of the discharge pocket M, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. At its left hand end, shaft 15 5 is shown as provided with a sprocket wheel 30.

The body shell iii of the casing is shown as provided with openings 3| to afford means for carrying off the dust or like particles if desired.

Mounted within the shell iii of the casing and extended from one head plate to the other and located below the drum 20, but above the discs, is a trough 32, see particularly Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

A feed-screw 33 works in this trough 32, and its shaft is extended through suitable bearings on 10 the head plates of the casing. At one end, see Figs. 2 and 5, the shaft of feed-screw 33 is provided with a driving pulley 34, and at its other end, see Figs. 3 and 5, said shaft is provided with a driving sprocket 35. The tailings delivered from drum 2!] through openings 22 are delivered into the right hand end of receiving trough 32 through short neck or discharge conduit 36, see particularly Fig. 5.

The separating discs are located near the lower portion of the casing and are secured to a long shaft 3'! that is extended through suitable bearings on the head plates H. For important rca" sons, the discs are arranged in two groups, the 0 first group being indicated by the character 38, and the second by the character 38a. The discs 38 have pockets that are smaller than the discs 38a. For the particular separation for which this machine has been designed, the pockets of the discs 38 will be of a size to receive and carry up small seeds, but to reject small or broken wheat; and the pockets of the discs 38a will be of a size to pick up and lift large wheat, but to reject oats and barley, for example.

The discs work in a hopper-like bottom-form- 4 ing structure or container 39, see particularly Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7. This hopper-like structure extends from one head plate to the other, but is divided into compartments a and b by a partition plate 60. The discs 38 work in the compart- 45 ment 0. while the discs 330. work in the compartment 1). In the particular structure illustrated, the hopper 39 is depressed to form a trough-like portion 4| in which is located a manually operated clean-out screw 42. At one side of the hop- 5 per-like bottom 39 is a long trough 43 that is extended from one head plate H to the other and by the partition 48 is divided into compartments 0 and (1. Extended through the trough 43 and journaled in suitable bearings on the head 55 plates l i is a shaft =24 that carries a left hand spiral blade 35 that works in the compartment 0, and a right hand spiral blade 45a that works in the compartment d. Opening through the bottom of the feed trough 33 from the compartment c is a discharge spout or opening 48, and opening through the bottom of said trough from the compartment d is a discharge spout for opening 45a. At its right hand end, as shown in Figs. 1,

4, and 5, shaft 44 is provided with a sprocket 41. The disc-carrying shaft 3'1, at its right hand end,

is provided with a sprocket 48, and at its left hand end with a sprocket 49. a

In respect to Fig. 4, the discs are assumed to be rotated in a clockwise direction. Located at the delivery side of the disc, just above the conveyor 45, is a long trough 50, seeFigs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, that extends from one head plate to the other, and by the partition 43 is divided into one section for the compartment 11 and into another section Fig. 5, but, for the a line position,

for the compartment b. Within the compartment 0. the trough 50 is provided with closely associated cover plates or sections 5| that are hingedly connected to the outside Wall of trough 50; and within the compartment 1) said trough is likewise provided with similar hinged cover plates or sections 5la.

Here it should be noted that the outer wall of trough 5B is spaced from the adjacentwall of the casing 10 so as to afford passages 52 that lead from the compartment a to the compartment and from compartment 17 to compartment d. Also, it will be noted that the cover plates, or any desired number thereof, can be turned into fullsee Figs. 6 and '7, over trough 50 so as to deflect grain into passage 52 or may be set, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. '7 and as in Fig. 4, so as to deliver the grain into said trough 50 trough 50, is journaled in suitable bearings on the end plates H, and is provided with spiral conveyor blades 54 and 54' working, respectively, in those portions of trough 50 that are in the compartments 0. and b. i

The oblique upper portion of the inner wall of the trough 50, adjacent to the right hand end plate H and adjacent to the partition 40, is cut away, respectively, to form discharge, ports 53a and 54a, see particularly Figs. 5, 8 and 9.

Extending downward from the depending end of the inverted pocket I4 is a delivery spout 55 that terminates in a discharge end 55a located just inside of the right hand head plate H, see Fig. 5.

Also, by reference to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the bottom of the trough 32 isintermediately cut away at 56 to afford a delivery passage from thetrough that extends over about one-half of the pocketed separating discs 38a.

In the partition 48, see Figs. and 9,. is a discharge port 5'! open to compartment (1 that opens into an overflow discharge spout 5B, the lower end of which delivers into that portion of the trough 43 that is within the compartment d at the left of the partition. In the left hand end plate H is a discharge port 59, see leads to a dischargespout 60.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the numeral 6| indicates a sprocket chain that runs over the sprocket 48 and over the sprocket 62 on the conveyor shaft 44. A shorter sprocket chain 63 runs over the sprocket 4'! of shaft 44 and over a similar sprocket 64 on the conveyor shaft 53. As shown, the above noted elements 41 and 48, BI, 52, 63 and 64 are within the housing 65 secured on the right hand head plate H.

A sprocket chain 66 runs over the sprockets 30, 35 and 49 and under a chain tightening sprocket 6'! joined to a suitablebearing 68 on the left hand end plate I I. As shown, the said portions 30, 35, 49, 56 and 61 are located in a housing 69 attached to the left handhead plate ll.

Operation In the following described operation of the machine the commingled stock, to be separated thereby, will be assumed to consist of large wheat, small wheat, oats and small seeds, but in which stock the large wheat isin the majority.

The'following operation will be most readily understood by directing attention particularly to details of construction, attention will be called 8 and 9.

A shaft 53 is extended through the entire 1 end of the compartment a in I charged through lying portion of the trough Figs. 4 and 5, that ted lines in Fig. 8, so that the lifted small seeds also frequently to Figs. 4, 6, 7,

The mixture may also contain other grains, such as barley, which, in the following operation, will be treated but lightly inasmuch as the handling of the barely will follow closely the handling of the oats. This commingled stock will be fed into the rotary drum 20 through the intake pocket l3, and by'the screw 25 will be distributed quite evenly along the bottom of the drum. Underrotation of the drum, which is assumed to be in a clockwise direction in respect to Fig. 4, the small wheat and small seeds such, for example, as cockle, mustard, and the like, will be picked up by the pockets of the drum and carried to a point where, when discharged, they will drop into the trough 23, while the large wheat, oats and the like, will be rejected by the pockets or, at any rate, willfall back to the lower portion or bottom of the drum. Before the commingled stock has been fed to the delivery end of the drum, all, or substantially all of the small or broken wheat and from thence by the screw I6 will be discharged into the spout 55 and delivered into the receiving which arelocated the first group of pocketed separating discs 38. The large wheat and the oats, as tailings, will, under the action of the spiral conveyor 25, be disconduit 21 into the trough 32. The separating actions performed by the drum and by the discs will take place simultaneously, but as the groups of discs 38 and 38a perform somewhat different functions, the separation that takes place in compartment (1 and in compartment b will be separately described.

Action in compartment (a) small seeds will have been lifted and discharged into the trough 23, and

As the discs 38, with relatively small pockets as compared with the discs 38a, revolve through the body of commingled small wheat and smaller seeds, the discs at the right, in respect to Fig.5, at first will pick up only the small seeds, but toward the left a point will be reached where there will be some commingled small wheat and small seeds. Hence, the cover plates 5| at the right will be turned over and close the under- 50, as shown by dotwill be deflected by said down-turned cover plates and delivered into the compartment 0 of trough 43. The cover plates 5i at the left, in respect to Fig. 5, will be turned back, as shown by full lines in Figs. 4 and 8, thereby causing commingled small wheat and smaller seeds to be delivered into that section of trough. 55 that is within compartment 11.

Under the action of the spiral conveyor 54 on shaft .53, the commingled small wheat and seeds will be delivered to the right hand end of trough 55 where it will back up, and by the delivery of the conveyor, it will be crowded through port 53a, see Figs. 5 and 8, and delivered back into compartment a for reseparation under the action of the discs 38.v

Under the action of the spiral conveyor on shaft 44, the small seeds will be fed to the right and discharged through spout or discharge opening 46.

The small or broken wheat, separated from the Action in compartment (b) The commingled large wheat and oats, freed from small wheat and smaller seeds delivered as tailings from the drum and into trough 32, will, under the action of the spiral conveyor 33, be discharged into the right hand portion of compartment b. I

The pockets of the group of discs 380., as indicated, are of a size to pick up and lift large wheat, but to reject oats or barley or the like, if any. The discs 38a at the right for a certain distance will pick up large wheat, but a certain point will be reached where the discs will pick up and lift some barley or possibly oats, as well as wheat.

By adjustments of the cover plates 5la, a proper point of separation may be found. When the cover plates 5! are turned over the underlying port of trough 53, as shown by full lines in Fig. '7, the lifted, clear or clean wheat will be defiected and delivered into that portion of trough 43 that is within compartment 01, and under the action of spiral conveyor 45a will be discharged through the port of outlet 46a Certain of the cover plates 51a at the left will be turned back, as shown by full lines in Fig. 9, so that commingled wheat and barley will be delivered into that portion of trough 50 that is within compartment 12; and such commingled wheat and barley will, by spiral conveyor 54, be delivered againstpartition l where it will bank up and, by the delivery end of said conveyor, discharge through b for recleaning of discs 38a.

The cats and barley or the like will accumulate in the bottom compartment 21 at the left hand end thereof and will bank up until they overflow through port 59 into discharge spout 69.

Thus is noted the manner in which the main stock is first divided into relatively small and relatively large materials, with one division in this particular instance being small or broken wheat and small seeds, and the other division consisting of large wheat and oats or the like. .We have also traced the manner in which the small seeds are finally separated from the small or broken wheat; the manner in which the large wheat is separated from the oats or the like; and the manner in which the clean small wheat is recormningled with the clean large wheat.

If not desired to recommingle the small wheat with the large wheat, discharge spout 58 could be made to extend through a wall of the housing or body 9!) as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

What I claim is:

1. A self-contained flour mill separator for commingled stock consisting chiefly of wheat but mixed with oats, barley and small seeds, comprisor separation under the action port E la back into compartment .rately separated from ing an internally pocketed rotary drum separator arranged to receive the commingled stock and to rapidly separate the stock into at least two batches according to the size of the grains of the stock under treatment, separate compartments each arranged to receive a separated batch of the stock delivered from said drum, and pocketed separator discs of relatively low capacity but of relatively high selectivity for flour mill separation mounted in said separate compartments for rotation with said drum, whereby the small wheat is accurately separated from the small seeds and the large wheat from the oats and barley by said discs at substantially the same rate of high capacity as that of the initial low selectivity drum separator.

2. A method of treating commingled stock wheat mixed with oats, barley and small seeds, for flour mill use, which comprises the steps of introducing the stock into an internally pocketed rotary drum separator, rotating said drum to divide the stock into at least two batches according to the size of the grains so that each batch contains grains of substantially uniform size, delivering the separated batches of grain into separate compartments for further separations by disc separators of relatively low capacity but of relatively high selectivity for flour mill separations, and driving said disc separators with said drum separator whereby the small wheat is accurately separated from the small seeds and the large wheat from the cats and barley at substantially the same rate of high capacity as that of the initial low selectivity drum separator.

3. A self-contained flour mill separator for a oommingled stock, of large and small wheat, oats, barley'and small seeds, comprising a supporting frame, an internally pocketed rotary drum separator journaled in said frame and arranged to receive the commingled stock for rapid separa tion of the stock into at least two batches according to the size of the grains of the stock under treatment, variably adjustable separation means in the drum separator for controlling the division of stock so that it will be separated into substantially equal size batches, separate compartments mounted in said frame and each arranged to receive a separated batch of the stock from said drum, and pocketed separator discs of relatively low capacity but of relatively high selectivity for flour mill separation mounted in said separate compartments for rotation with said drum, whereby the small wheat is accuthe small seeds and the larger wheat from the cats and barley by said discs at substantially the same rate of high capacity as that'cf the initial low selectivity drum separator.

CHARLES C. INGRAHAM. 

